"The man in the hat" is how Belgium has come to know the country's most wanted suspect in the Brussels attacks, seen in a CCTV picture with two others who were about to blow themselves up at Brussels airport on Tuesday.

The man may be a self-styled Belgian freelance journalist called Faycal Cheffou, who was charged on Saturday with terrorist murder and has served time for conspiracy to murder, according to Belgian state broadcaster RTBF and other media, including European media group RTL.

While his identity, obscured by a floppy sun hat, glasses and a beard in last Tuesday's airport picture, has yet to be officially confirmed, prosecutors have arrested and charged "Faycal C.," who Belgian media say is Cheffou.